Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep

Partridge Hill - Tuesday, August 16, 2016

We all recognize the cycle – we stay up far too late, decide we want some down time to watch TV, continue to stay up too late, wake up exhausted, and repeat. It feels as if we’ve fallen into a trap that is impossible to get out of because we’ve become so accustomed to it. Take back your bedtime routine by enforcing these habits:

Set a Strict Bedtime

There’s no more “I should get to bed by 11”, only to wind up staying up past midnight. In fact, many sleep experts agree that the best sleep happens if it begins before midnight, and preferably before 11pm. Of course, this is not possible for everyone, but the idea is to get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep every night.

Make Sure Your Bedroom Promotes Good Sleep

There are several small changes that could drastically improve your quality of sleep:

Keep it cool – Feeling warm and cozy is nice, but a higher body temperature may actually prevent sleep, so it’s best to keep the room cool.

Keep it focused – Your bed is for sleeping, not working or browsing. By getting into the habit of bringing your laptop to bed, you may be inadvertently training your brain to remain stimulated while you’re in bed.

Keep it organized – If you’re one of many who has a hard time “turning off” their brain when it’s time for bed, making a list is crucial. Jot down everything that is bothering you, tasks you need to do in the morning, etc. and leave the thoughts on paper so they won’t keep you awake.